It’s the fashion trend that style critics love to hate. Firmly believed by many that tights on a man strictly belong in Peter Pan or Robin Hood adaptations, in 2015 many have been vocal in their surprise that hosiery has stepped right off the catwalk, not only into some of the hippest bars in New York and LA, but even onto our building sites right here in the UK.
When male models strutted down the catwalk in a pair of tights, an eyebrow was hardly raised. This kind of cross dressing and pushing the boundaries has been a highlight of international fashion shows for many a year, designed to showcase the designer clothing in a unique and expressive way. However, it was earlier in 2015 that across some of the most fashionable cities in the world, men were donning tights underneath shorts or even skirts, to make their fashion statement. No longer reserved for dress-up, men in tights were becoming prominent in the fashion world.
Again, this news was received without much surprise. In cities like New York, outlandish fashion trends were often sweeping through the streets just to disappear again when the next big thing came along. What was perhaps most surprising was the adaptation of tights into the everyday fashion of some of the most ‘manly’ men we know – builders.
Women have known for years that tights are perfect for wrapping up in the winter months, an insulating layer that still allows you to wear skirts and shorts even when it’s sub-zero outside! While not widely spoken about, men have been paying close attention to these seasonal hosiery habits and have been using tights as an essential layer for keeping warm when working in the outdoors. All kinds of men in all manner of outdoor trades have been wearing tights underneath their trousers to great insulating effect – a pretty smart move if you ask us!
It doesn’t stop there. The incredible flexibility and warming ability of tights has even been passed on to the everyday man. Not only for fashion, but for practicality. Worn underneath trousers and jeans for an extra winter layer, women are no longer the only ones privy to the wondrous effects of tights, and why should they be? As we celebrate International Men’s Day on November 19th, remember that tights are no longer confined to the stage and should be worn with pride, whether you’re looking to get ahead of the fashion game or staying style savvy with innovative layering ideas.
If you’re looking for your next pair, try our collection of Opaque Tights for some inspiration…
Steve Edwards
November 22, 2015 at 8:03 amI love pantyhose \ tights on men. Being one myself could mean I’m a tad bias.
It was the style critics that killed the hosiery trade by telling women that is was old hat and uncomfortable to wear.
Much of this may have been true through cheap poorly made materials and women buying the wrong sizings.
I have been wearing for 25 years but have had to keep it stealth ed because of a request from my wife.
As it’s not become a main stream fashion item, she is not keen on me going public.
I hope to see tights with shorts and skirts a mainstream trend sooner rather than later but it will take a miracle of attitude change the current crap men are forced to endure as clothing.
Aaron
August 21, 2016 at 7:50 pmI have been wearing tights or hosiery in general for over 30 years now. I enjoy the benefits of wearing them as well as the different look they provide. I recently began wearing openly about 2 years ago, especially with my kilts when it is cooler. I would remove this statement from your write up though, if I were you: “This kind of cross dressing and pushing the boundaries has been a highlight of international fashion shows for many a year, designed to showcase the designer clothing in a unique and expressive way.” If designers designed these tights for men and were worn by men to be displayed on the runway, I can hardly see how that is cross-dressing. Furthermore, if you wanted to use such logic, then it would be the ladies wearing tights that have been cross-dressing for hundreds of years because it was men who wore them first. The same goes for makeup, wigs, nail polish, heels, etc. I am not being disrespectful. I just get tired of the truth not being known nor told. Otherwise, thank you for the article.